1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image combining apparatus, for use in a digital copying machine. The invention relates, particularly, to an image combining apparatus for combining divided images obtained when reading a large size document.
2. Discussion of Background
Generally speaking, in a digital copying machine that reads an image of a document by photo-electric conversion, there is an apparatus for combining an image reading memory and an automatic document conveying device which results in faster copying. Such an apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 81563/1990.
Moreover, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications Nos. 129660/1989 and 129662/1989, when images in plural documents are read and combined with one another, a scanner reads each image in only desired areas in each of the plural documents. As a result a reduction of memory capacity is achieved.
In these conventional apparatuses, however, the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open publication No. 81563/1990 does not refer to image combining for plural documents. On the other hand, in the apparatuses as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications Nos. 129660/1989 and 129662/1989, a reading sensor moves to the desired areas in the documents by an input area signal. Alternatively, image data other than the desired area are masked. As a result, these alternatives provide complicated structures and difficult operations.
There is thus a need for an image combining apparatus for recombining into a single image, divided images obtained when reading a large size document where the image scanning area is less than the area of the large document. The present invention fills that and other needs.